Villa Valtanen by Arkkitehtitoimisto Louekari

Defying the harsh weather in Lapland, Villa Valtanen—designed by Arkkitehtitoimisto Louekari—inspires coziness and warmth. This uncommon wilderness retreat, including a living space, sauna, and woodshed, is composed of two traditional timber structures united by contemporary architecture principles: "The living room and sauna have a log frame with fishtail corner joints, which is a typical old Finnish building system. Between sauna and living room is a lofty space with big windows opening onto the forest landscape of Lapland."

"The side walls are clad in tarred planking, which acts like a 'raincoat' and allows the use of a short eaves with almost no overhang. The gable walls are sheltered by traditional eaves with long overhangs. The log frames, windows, doors, facade moldings and other joinery were made by local firms. The only imported products were the solar panels, their batteries, and the composting toilet."

As a Northern Norway enthusiast, this simple yet creative project made my day. How do you find it?